I grew up with travel stories from my dad, who backpacked when backpacking was a little more of an extreme endeavor. Transportation wasn’t as simple, so he often had to hitchhike or drive himself. Budget accommodation wasn’t as easy to come by, so he spent nights on new friends’ couches and even setting up a tent on the beach. There wasn’t an abundance of information on a little mobile device in his pocket, so he made many mistakes, got himself into some bad situations, got into some great situations, made new friends, fell in love with places he had never previously heard of. The experiences he had and the interactions he described felt magical, and importantly, authentic. With modern technology, Google reviews and Reddit forums of every place at our fingertips, and cushy, insular hostels everywhere, does this type of backpacking adventure my dad describes still exist?